The subject application is related to subject matter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. H11-251900 filed on Sep. 6, 1999 in Japan to which the subject application Claims priority under Paris Convention and which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polarity inversion apparatus and a polarity inversion method for chip components for uniformizing orientations of chip components accommodated in groove portions of an index table.
2. Related Background Art
There are some chip components having differentiable polarities, e.g., a diode, an electrolytic capacitor, a chip coil (an L chip) and others. In order to recognize a polarity of such a chip component by appearances, a mark M indicative of a polarity such as shown in FIG. 1 is attached to the surface thereof. In the case of taping or classifying such a chip component having a differentiable polarity, the processing for uniformizing polarities is carried out in an index table.
FIG. 2 is a view for illustrating an outline of a conventional polarity inversion apparatus for chip components. A plurality of groove portions 4 having a U-like shape are formed on the outer periphery of a circular index table 3 at predetermined intervals, and an index guide 42 is provided on the external side thereof. Chip components 5 supplied from a chip component supply portion 45 are sequentially accommodated in the groove portions 4 in accordance with rotation of the index table 3.
Further, a polarity judgment device 43 for detecting an orientation of the chip component 5 accommodated in the groove portion 4 and a polarity inversion device 44 for inverting an orientation of the chip component 5 are arranged along the outer periphery of the index table 3.
FIG. 3A is an enlarged top view showing the circumference of the polarity inversion device 44. The polarity inversion device 44 has a chip component accommodating inversion portion 23 formed on the top face of an inversion shaft 6. The chip component accommodating inversion portion 23 performs the operation for inverting an orientation of the chip component accommodated in the groove portion 4 in the opposite direction.
Sensors 14 and 24 for confirming whether the chip component 5 exists are provided above the groove portions 4 and the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23. These sensors irradiate beams to the bottom surface and detect the reflected light from the bottom surface or the chip component 5 to confirm whether the chip component exists.
FIG. 4A shows the state where the chip component 5 is accommodated in the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23. When the inversion shaft 6 is rotated 180 degrees in this state, the orientation of the chip component is inverted as shown in FIG. 4B. Thereafter, the chip component accommodating inversion portion 6 returns the chip component to the original groove portion 4 of the index table 3.
With the above-described procedure, the orientations of all the chip components accommodated in the groove portions 4 of the index table 3 can be uniformized.
FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the Axe2x80x94A line in FIG. 3A. As shown in the drawing, the base surface under the index table 3 is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23. However, it is difficult to set them strictly flush with each other at the time of assembly adjustment. Further, since there is a form error on the bottom surface of the inversion shaft 6, the chip component 5 may possibly get stuck on the boundary position when the chip component 5 moves from the groove portion 4 to the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23. In such a case, the chip component 5 can not be accommodated in the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23 and the chip component can not be hence normally inverted.
Moreover, although the width of the groove portion 4 must be matched with that of the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23 in order to move the chip component from the groove portion 4 to the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23, the chip component may possibly get stuck on the boundary position of the groove portion 4 and each side wall portion of the chip component accommodating inversion portion 23 because of the stop accuracy of the index table 3 and the form error.
In view of the above-described drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to provide a polarity inversion apparatus and a polarity inversion method for chip components being capable of assuredly uniformizing orientations of chip components accommodated in groove portions in an index table.
To achieve this aim, the present invention provides a polarity inversion apparatus comprising:
an index table having groove portions which are capable of accommodating chip components therein, said groove portions being provided to external periphery of said index table; and
a chip component inversion portion which takes out said chip component accommodated in said groove portion to invert the orientation of said chip component and thereafter accommodates it in said original groove portion,
wherein said chip component inversion portion has a rotatable inversion shaft; and a chip component accommodating inversion portion provided above said inversion shaft;
said chip component accommodating inversion portion has an inlet which is arranged on one side of said chip component accommodating inversion portion and receives said chip component from said groove portion; and an outlet which is arranged on the other side of said chip component accommodating inversion portion and sends said inverted chip component into said groove portion; and
the height of the bottom surface of said inlet of said chip component accommodating inversion portion is set so as to be lower than the height of the bottom surface of said groove portion.
According to the present invention, when moving the chip component from the groove portion of the index table to the chip component accommodating inversion portion, since the chip component does not get stuck in the vicinity of the boundary between the groove portion and the chip component accommodating inversion portion, the chip component can assuredly move to the chip component accommodating inversion portion, thereby reliably uniformizing the orientations of the chip components in the groove portions.
Further, according to the present invention, since the height of the bottom surface of the inlet of the chip component accommodating inversion portion is set so as to be lower than the height of the bottom surface of the groove portion, the chip component does not get stuck on the boundary position between the groove portion and the chip component accommodating inversion portion.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the width of the inlet for the chip component accommodating inversion portion is wider than that of the groove portion, and the width of the outlet for the chip component accommodating inversion portion is narrower than that of the groove portion, thereby smoothly moving the chip component from the groove portion to the chip component accommodating inversion portion.
Moreover, according to the present invention, since the chip component is moved by air blow-off and suction, the chip component can be assuredly moved with a simple structure.
In addition, according to the present invention, since existence confirming means for confirming existence/absence of the chip component is provided, the chip component can be automatically inverted.
Also, according to the present invention, after returning the chip component to the original groove portion, the chip component accommodating inversion portion is rotated 180 degrees, and the groove portion can be securely opposed to the inlet of the chip component accommodating inversion portion.